A Child's Dream can be a Nightmare
by RosesInJamJars
Summary: Published entirely so I won't feel like I'm abandoning readers : When a child's life is so messed up, they begin to wonder if it can be a nightmare. But Adele's nightmare is real. Ianto/OC not the singer! Jack/Donna, 10/Rose, Doctor/River, Tosh/Owen, future Martha/Mickey. Reviews welcome :
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi. So I feel really bad for not updating any of my stuff. Since like, April. And it's July. But school's been really busy, we've had exams, I got TWO Bs in English *le faints* and that kind of knocked the stuffing out of me for a bit. But it's the holidays now, I have two new pairs of shoes, and two skirts that would make Quinn Fabray green with jealousy, and unfortunately, a double sleep over beginning in a few hours time. I won't be able to update, even though my shopping trip has filled me with a renewed sense of life, so here is a great time to introduce my guilt story! Its half finished, and really bad because I wasn't so good back then, but I'll update whenever, there's 16 chapters and I can put whatever I want in it, because it's not so uptight like my other stories. Enjoy!**_

_**FRIENDS IN THE BIG BLUE BOX READERS, PLEASE READ THIS FIRST!  
I wrote this before FITBBB, and then wanted to use Adele, so I ditched this. Its a different story, but the same Adele, so, here y'are!**_

* * *

Lunchbreaks, have meant lots of different things to Adele Harman over the years. They once meant being pelted with balled up sandwiches, and teased by the other children, then they meant hiding out in the library, then fending off the advances of boys who never paid her much attention before they realised how pretty she was, then sitting in a spare-room at Torchwood Cardiff where she was 'out of the way', building sonic technology, then dodging balled up bits of Owen's pizza, then hiding in archives in Torchwood one, while the man she fancied sat in the main offices of her department, with his girlfriend sitting in his lap, which was _totally_ inappropriate (though she'd drop that opinion if _she_ was given the opportunity to sit in his lap). But now, lunchbreaks meant snuggling on the couch in Torchwood three, with a wonderful boyfriend, being taunted by Owen, chatting to Tosh, being ignored by Gwen, and doted on by her father. This lunchbreak in particular, she rested her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, closed her eyes, and thought of how this came to be...

**2008**

Jack sighed as he slurped at the whisky clutched in his hand, gazing at the photo of Adele which resided in the place of honour on his desk. He thought back to when this whole thing began...

**A QUICK DETOUR TO 1983...**

Jack strolled across the pier looming over Cardiff bay, one hand running through his hair. He's done it to blend in, but he felt like he stood out like a solar beacon. The first thing he was going to do when he found the TARDIS again, was get a pair of scissors, and lop off the mullet. He could just imagine Rose's face when she saw his hair... and the Doctor's comment when he saw the moustache. _If_ he ever found the TARDIS that is. He's given up hope, after so many years. Almost one hundred. _One hundred_. Kiss then kill, kiss then kill. Wading through drunken people celebrating the new year, his hands stuck deep in his pockets, his face downcast, was how he was when he bumped into a young woman, knocking her down. He swooped down to catch her before she hit the wooden pier, and instead of the Hollywood kiss/unbelievable amount of sexual tension, he was hit with a blast of vodka lining the woman's breath.

"Hey there 'andsome!" she slurred in a thick cockney accent. He heard an explosion of giggling, and looked up to see a group of equally intoxicated women, clearly the girl's friends.

"Will ya look at tha'!" One of them cried with a similar accent to the woman's in his arms. University students visiting Cardiff for new year's, drunk as anything. "Janet's found 'erself a fancy man, she 'has!" Jack groaned internally groaned as he helped the woman stand up, she responded by clinging with all her might onto the lapels of his greatcoat.

"You saved me!" she mumbled in a romantic (drunken) voice. "I coulda' died, but you saved me, you did 'andsome. 'Ow can I ever repay you?" Trying to ignore the drunken seduction (he was quite out of character tonight), he looked up to her friends.

"Can you get... Janet was it? Well can you get her home alright?" He asked. He was met a sea of giggles once more, but found himself being swept off to a picnic table, and having the nose of a vodka bottle shoved roughly in his mouth.

**2008**

And then he thought back to what happened afterwards. The drinking, and drinking, and drinking, and drinking, and drinking, and drinking, and drinking, and drinking, the adult activities which followed, the news Janet broke to him a month later, the eight whole months of being yelled at by a very angry Mr and Mrs Drunken woman, demanding to know why he wouldn't marry their daughter, the anxious wait in the hospital, and finally naming the baby Adele Rose Harman. The Harman was from her mother, as was the Adele (no idea how _that_ happened) and the Rose was all she had from Jack. For now. The mother and daughter lived in London. Jack would visit once a month, and always come visit the child every September for her birthday. Janet and Adele moved to Leadworth, a small English village where Janet's hairdressing career could excel. It was now that his daughter's world exploded. Literally, in some cases.

* * *

**1991**

Jack opened the side gate, and strolled through to the backyard, where he could hear the sounds of people. He was met with the sight of a cubby house, and a woman sitting outside on a children sized cafe table (complete with umbrella), waiting for the children playing within to come out.

"Donna!" he cried happily, giving her a cheeky smack on the lips.

"Oi! Watch it Harkness!" Donna Noble, Adele's godmother and Janet's close friend cried, although her expression betrayed that she really had no problem with this man(who was not her boyfriend) kissing her.

"DADDY!" squealed the small girl in the door of the cubby-house.

"There's my little girl!" he called back, joyously, before crossing the distance between the table and his daughter in three large strides, picking her up and twirling her around. "Happy Birthday gorgeous!" he said, setting her down, and handing her the large bundle, which was wrapped in pink birthday paper, and watching her run over to 'Auntie Donna' in excitement.

"Adele?" Came a small timid voice from the cubby house. Jack peered through the door, crouching down to see in. At the 'dining table' sat a small boy, who screamed _'I'm adorable, hug me!', _with a bowl of air soup in front of him. He jumped back violently when he saw Jack.

"Hey there kid, I'm Jack, Adele's Dad. What's your name?"

"RORY!" screeched Adele from the garden, "Rory, come over here!" Jack jumped out of the doorway as the small boy scrambled out of his chair, and hurried over to Adele. A beautifully crafted Princess-dress sat carefully folded on the wrapping, while Adele un-wrapped a set of walkie-talkies from their packaging.

"Rory, this is my Dad, Dad this is-"

"Rory." Jack finished for her. She looked up at him, puzzled.

"How did you know?" she asked, puzzled. Jack shrugged, but shot a wink at Donna, who was stifling giggles. Suddenly, Adele threw herself at her father, knocking the wind out of him, her head only just reaching his torso.

"Thanks Dad." She whispered, before pulling away, handing a walkie-talkie to Rory, and both the children ran around the corner, shouting excitedly.

"OI, WHAT ABOUT MY TEA?" Donna shouted after them, winking at Jack, who sat down on the other small chair, the red and white striped umbrella bopping him on the head on the way down, making Donna giggle.

"So, Miss Noble, what've you been up to recently?" She rolled her eyes, then placed a finger on her chin, and pretended to be thinking.

"Well, I have been through nine jobs, three boyfriends, six tantrums from my mother, and as you can see, I'm sittin' here playing pretend cafe, wearing a Gucci knock-off. So in other words, same shit, different day." Jack burst into a throaty chuckle.

"Ah, but those cannot be your words, fine woman, for they are those of a well known and respected philosopher, your views on life, my fair lady, are but stolen!" Donna snorted in laughter, then turned her head to the side, watching a sparrow hop its way through the garden, trying to hide a blush which was creeping up her neck.

"You could always come work with us you know." He offered quietly after a moment. She sighed deeply.

"We've been through this Jack! You know how temping the money is to me, but I could never leave my parents, or Gramps, and that would mean I'd be even further away from this little darling!"

"We could set you up with our branch in London." But to his surprise, she shook her head vigorously.

"I always assumed you were a man of your word, Jack Harkness!"

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"You promised me, when I first met Micheal Jackson gone wrong," She began, and Jack shuddering as he remembered her encounter with the weevil where she was almost killed. "That you would be there for me, and help me... understand all this... Alien, magic, voodoo stuff." She continued, like the whole thing was that obvious. "If I worked there, I'd understand without you!" Jack nodded, and hung his head, inspecting his boots. He wanted to help Donna, but she was making it difficult. Actually, in all honesty, he wanted her to come to Cardiff, bring Adele along... like a nice happy domestic family. Doctor, eat your heart out.

"Donna, I'm only trying to- oh goddamit no!" he began speaking, but ended in a dramatic wail, as his phone beeped. He pulled out the awful chunky top-of-the-range model, and read the primitive text message. He groaned loudly, before leaning over the table, and pecking her on the lips. She slapped his gently on the shoulder, but said nothing.

"I gotta go... work." He said glumly, standing up, and bopping himself on the head with the umbrella again. "Seeya." He muttered, and strode around to the side of the house, leaving the confused, and somewhat flustered Donna in his wake.

"Adele?" he called gingerly, peeping around the building. Suddenly Rory flung himself out of the shrubbery, with a bandana tied around his head, a walkie talkie in his pocket, and a stick acting as a sword in his hand. Adele followed after, in similar attire. Jack bent down, and scooped her up in a hug, crushing her small from to his chest.

"I'm really sorry sweet heart, but I've got to go." He mumbled in her ear. She instantly pulled away, her chin wobbling. "Hey!" he said in mock stern-ness, grasping her chin between thumb and forefinger. "Let's have none of that now! You be a good girl, and look after your Mom, and I'll see you soon darling." And he crushed her in a hug once more.

"Bye Dad." She whispered in his ear, and hugged him tightly. Finally he released her and turned to Rory. "You look after my little princess then, GI Joe."

Rory nodded vigorously.

"Actually sir," he mumbled respectably. "She looks after me. Saves me from the bullies." Jack chuckled, and nodded approvingly.

"That's my girl. I'll see you two next month then!" he cried in forced cheerfulness, standing up, then walking briskly around the corner, patting Donna on the shoulder as he passed, forcing himself not to turn around, walk back, and be served imaginary tea by his beloved daughter. He really ought to have spent as much time with Alice as possible, but now the difference between his two offspring was clear. One loved him back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2-**

**ELEVEN ½ YEARS**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At the age of eleven and ½, she had taught herself how to fire every type of gun in the artillery range.

**TWELVE YEARS**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At twelve years old, she had taught herself to drive, and had made herself a faux driver's licence.

**THIRTEEN YEARS**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At thirteen years old, she could knock out a weevil, perform basic surgery, mend dis-located shoulders, and set broken limbs in plaster.

**FOURTEEN YEARS**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At fourteen years old she was able to dis-arm explosives, and had begun looking at blue-prints for a sonic modulator, when her father found out that she could, shoot, drive, wrestle, operate and dis-arm, and sent her to live with Auntie Donna in Chiswick for a little while.

**FIFTEEN YEARS**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At fifteen she had been allowed back into the hub, and had successfully built a sonic modulator and probe.

**SIXTEEN YEARS **

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At sixteen years old, she witnessed her first death. Alex. He was her sort-of uncle, they were so close. After visiting the Williams' in Leadworth for New Year's Eve Day, she and her father had strolled back into the hub, and Alex had pulled the trigger on himself. Adele had only turned sixteen three months ago, and until she was seventeen, she did not have an un-disturbed night's sleep.

**SEVENTEEN YEARS**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At seventeen years of age, she met Suzie Costello and Toshiko Sato, and spent the rest of the year sitting around twiddling her thumbs (in other words, fetching coffee) for the three adults, as she eagerly waited to become a fully-operating Torchwood operative.

**EIGHTEEN YEARS**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At eighteen years of age, Adele was loving her life. She had a cool father, amazing friends, and unbelievable job, but yet, she was missing something. A good-looking male something, to be exact. She might not do so badly, had she not instantly ignored all who referred to her as a 'ranga', and didn't seem to find herself plagued with jerk men. The odd four, possibly even five had been nice guys, but looking back on it, the others… weren't.

**NINTEEN YEARS**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the Torchwood institute. At nineteen years old, she met Owen Harper, and enjoyed his company immensely. He was great fun when he wasn't thinking about his late fiancé, or being a sexist pig. She loved showing off her medical skills, playing video games with him, and he even let her give him hell when he had a hangover, but (despite what Suzie said) there was nothing but platonic love between them. Adele loved Torchwood, but wanted a bigger challenge to tackle, as she was beginning to find rift alerts and weevil hunts somewhat of a bore. So Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper proved a fantastic distraction. Owen acted like Toshiko was disgusting whenever the two of them was suggested, (this had caused Tosh to burst into tears once or twice, or her and Adele enjoyed hitting Owen directly after the comment had been made) but he was constantly checking her out when he thought no-one was looking. Adele and her dad soon developed a game they christened '_Owen's Perving_', which was fun any time, but was none the less, boring. She always made time to drive to London to see Auntie Donna, and then to Leadworth to see the Williams', but she soon found settling into a stable routine as such was going to make her fall asleep at the wheel. So to give her a challenge to tackle, she began attempting to organize the archives, which was actually rather interesting (even if she was slightly prone to pulling apart the objects she was meant to be storing, and examining them), and to give her life a bit of spice, she bought a motorbike. Her father's face still haunts her dreams.

**TWENTY-TWO**

Adele Rose Harman grew up in the torchwood institute. At twenty two years, she volunteered to tackle the archives in Torchwood one, London. So, with promises to ring and visit often, she accepted the opportunity with open arms. She went to live with Auntie Donna, and buy new clothes for her job. It was the twenty fourth of May, 2005, when she anxiously climbed the stairs in her brand grey skirt-suit and lime green high heels, that she first laid eyes on Ianto Jones.

* * *

_**Please review XX**_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3-

**2005**

The stairway and lobby was empty and silent, the clacking of her shoes on the marble stair echoing eerily around the room. The man smiled kindly at her, and held out his hand.

"Hello there, you must be Adelle Harman." He greeted in a beautiful Welsh accent. She nodded nervously, and went to speak but found herself slightly tongue tied.

"Ye- yeah- uh... Yes! Sorry, that's me!" she confirmed, mentally slapping herself as she spoke.

"This way please." He instructed her kindly, guiding her to walk with him. She was revelling the feel of his hand on her elbow, when he took it away, opened a door, and gestured for her to go in. She found herself in a small white meeting room, with dark brown carpet, a vase with vivid orange flowers on the small circular table in the middle of the room. A selection of manila folders were laid out in front of two chairs, one the man pulled out for her, the other he sat down on himself.

"Welcome to Torchwood Tower," he said smiling sincerely, "My name is Ianto Jones, and I'll be working on the same floor as you. We work in the Filing Department, otherwise known as the odds and ends floor, where any stray work, files or jobs end up. Also the archiving where you'll be." She nodded to show her understanding, as he opened a folder, and briefly scanned the first page. "Um... I'm sorry, but this is quite un-usual, but here it says that you will not need to sign the confidentiality agreement, as you already work with the Torchwood institute. Can you confirm this?" She nodded, then signed where Ianto pointed to on the document in front of her, with a pen which was on the table. "Where did you work?" he asked suddenly.

"Cardiff, Torchwood three. They're practically my family." She told him, leaning back in her chair, a smile gracing her lips.

"I hadn't pictured Cardiff as the faceless poor souls organisation type of place." He commented, making her chuckle.

"Oh, you'd never call it that if you saw it." A picture of a pterodactyl in mid-flight popped into her head. He gave her an odd-sideways look, but said nothing. He gave her more documents to sign, then stood up, and held the door for her. He lead her to the elevators, explaining how Torchwood one worked, and lead her into a room filled with men and women, working. The room had white marble walls and floor, and desks laid out with about a metre between them all, creating a gird, and the illusion of complete organization. He ushered her through the eerily quiet room, up a flight of marble stairs (she could see a general theme appearing here), to a blue wooden door. He told her the combination, and she thumbed it into the key-code pad, and she entered the room which was the very definition of organized chaos. Her jaw almost hit the ground, and she heard Ianto chuckle behind her.

"Your desk is over here." His voice (sexy Welsh voice) brought her back to reality, as she turned to see a white desk, and whit mac computer. Ianto held out a thick padded envelope.

"In here is your security pass-it must be worn inside the building at all times, your manual keys for this room, a map of the building, and a 'Welcome' notice from the big cheese, who can't seem to be bothered talking to you herself." She giggled and nodded, accepting the envelope. Suddenly his demeanour changed from that of a tour guide to a warm kind one. She guessed this was his true persona.

"Welcome to Torchwood Adelle. Or Torchwood _London_ in this case... I hope you have a good time. I'll introduce you to some of the people on this floor at lunchbreak, yeah?" She nodded eagerly, and he turned to leave.

"Ianto," she called after him, and he turned to face her. "Thank you." He grinned at her, then the door closed behind him and he was gone.

**DWTWDWTW**

Girlfriend. _Girlfriend_. _**GIRLFRIEND**_. Lunch was over now, and Adelle had left Ianto to kiss Lisa goodbye as she made her way upstairs to her own department. He had a girlfriend. Of course he did, she always picked the ones with commitment. Owen had always said that sod's law liked kicking her in the face, and now she agreed with him whole-heartedly. Girlfriend! Lisa had been a total cow to her, practically slobbering on Ianto, almost sending her knife-in-the-gut messages where the evil witch from Snow White cackles and screeches '_He's mine! Miiiine!_' But according to the rest of the department she was nice the rest of the time, just protective. And really pretty. And Ianto's girlfriend as well. So she really couldn't compare her to an evil Disney drawing. She'd find somebody else, that was for certain. She'd only know Ianto for a few hours, and already she was on the verge of tears at the realisation that he had a girlfriend. So as the mature adult she was, she groaned and thumped her head down on the desk top. Looks like it's time to call Toshiko with her promised any-cute-guys report.

Girlfriend?! Seriously?

* * *

_**Please review! Xx**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4-**

**1987**

She had lived in London all her life. Or four years, however you liked to look at it. She didn't have many friends, so the move to Leadworth was a blessing of sorts. As the van pulled away from the front of her flat, she thought of her Daddy. She touched her mother's hand, and looked up at her with her father's pale blue eyes.

"Is Daddy going to come live with us now?" she asked hopefully, fingering the ears of the coffee coloured cotton rabbit. Her mother shook her head, and a dark expression crossed her face for a moment.

"Nah babes, he'll just be visiting like he does now." Adelle's shoulders slumped in disappointment, but her mother just felt annoyance that this child meant having to see Captain Jack Harkness. It would be so much easier, to go live in Australia, on the Gold Coast or something, and never have to worry about him again, but the kid kept wanting to see him, which was a damn nuisance. Why did she care anyway? She had her mother and Auntie Donna, what the obsession with her father was, was beyond Janet entirely. Although '_Auntie Donna_' had a small obsession with Adelle's father too. When they moved to the Gold Coast, she'd have to leave Donna behind. That'd upset the kid aswell, goddamit.

**1988**

Janet owned her own salon, which had lots of business. Adelle had a friend, which was a nice change, and was at kindergarten all day, not hampering Janet's work hours. Plus the fact that Janet was raking it in, she should have been happy, this meant lots of new clothes, shoes maybe even a car, and one step closer to Gold Coast. But she wasn't. Because she couldn't afford all the new clothes, shoes, car or Gold Coast, because the kid grew so quickly, and always needed new clothes, shoes, soon a new bed, bigger room, bigger wardrobe, more food, bigger water bill, electricity bill. That kid was screwing up her plans bad. But she was her child none the less, and Janet would look after her. For now.

**1989**

He visited all the time. Once a month, plus Easter, Christmas and Birthday. That was fifteen times a year, and as far as Janet was concerned, that was fifteen times too many. Donna visited as well, far more often, and this was a blessing, as it meant that Janet could go to the pub and get legless, but she was always careful, after Adelle, to make sure that she never ended up up-the-duff again.

**1990 **

She had started school one year ago, and was now surprisingly independent, walking home from school, using an alarm clock so Janet didn't have to wake her, fixing her own meals, and all the things that Janet didn't want to do. After Adelle had finished her homework, she would mop the floors, dust, do the dishes, clean the toilet, and then go play with her little friend. Once she got home from work early, and he was helping her vacuum. Pathetic little parasite he was, so clingy. He'd probably turn out gay.

**1991**

This was driving her mad. The school kept bugging her, wanting to know why Adelle would never return notices which needed Janet's signature, claiming that her child was brilliant, and should be sent to a higher-achieving school, telling her that the kid needed new uniforms because she was too big for the ones she owned, and blah blah blah. She didn't think that kids were supposed to be such a hassle.

**1992**

She couldn't take this anymore. She was seeing a man named Greg, and the relationship was serious, but he hated Adelle, and Adelle hated him. But Janet wasn't going to let that get in the way of her happiness, the bloody selfish little bitch. The maternal feelings were long gone, now all she felt for the brat was resentment. The Gold Coast was so close now, she almost had enough money, just one more year. One more year.

**1993**

Adelle was ten years old now, as she stood in front of the kitchen cabinet, staring at the near-empty shelves. The post-it she had left on the fridge for her mother, telling her to buy food was left un-touched, as it had been for days now. She never saw her mother very much, as she had left for school before Janet was even awake, and had been asleep when she came home. After her meagre breakfast of wheat-crackers and some tinned kidney beans, Adelle dared the forbidden expedition, of entering her mother's bedroom, and the sight made panic rise within her. The wardrobe door was open, as were all the drawers to her mother's dresser. The sheets were still rumpled on the bed, left from when Janet had last slept between them. There were clothes Janet had never liked strewn over the floor and bed, and the bathroom was in a similar state. The curtains were shut, and an empty cash-box was left open on the bed. Adelle Rose Harman's face drained of colour, and she ran down the stairs, pulled her coat and hat from the coatstand, and ran to the Williams's house, still in her pyjamas. The day hadn't fully appeared yet, and traces of darkness were still in the sky, as she anxiously rapped on the William's door, not stopping until it was opened, and revealed a harassed and tired looking Rory's mother.

"Adelle what on earth are you-" but stopped dead as the ten year burst into long-overdue tears, and collapsed on the frost covered door-step.

**1994**

She had been living with the Williams' for one and a half years now, and had never been happier. She was woken up in the morning by the smiling face of either of Rory's parents, and was given a hand-packed lunch in a paper bag as they left in the morning. When they got home, they'd do their homework together, and then they'd play in the garden, or watch television until dinner time. Auntie Donna had declared eternal hatred for the "Bloody stupid pig headed bitch who abandoned a poor child for a F*** fest with a bloody wanke-" (At this point her father had clamped his hands over Adelle's ears until Donna was finished), and her father hadn't wanted Adelle to live with the Williams', and would rather she came to Cardiff, but when this conversation was taking place at the bottom the stairs, Rory had slapped a face of total grief and despair on his face, bolted downstairs, and threw his arms around Adelle, and they had burst into a pile of sobbing ten year old limbs. He had allowed her to remain in Leadowrth, and when he went into the Living room to talk to Rory's parents, their act stopped, and they gave each other a hi-five, before scrambling upstairs, much to Donna's amusement. However, when they tried that trick a year and a half later, Jack wasn't fooled. Assuring them that she's come visit every weekend, he had carried a kicking and screaming Adelle to the black SUV, while the Mr and Mrs Williams restrained a kicking and screaming Rory, the SUV drove away, leaving a heart broken Rory screaming,

"Bring back my sister you wanker!"

**DWTWDWTW**

Meanwhile, in the SUV, the drive to Cardiff had been a quiet and tense one. By the time they reached London, Adelle's screaming had died down the muffled sobbing, then quiet tears, then nothing. As soon as the car pulled up outside the water tower, he jumped out, and released Adelle from the car, at which point, she jumped down, stretched her aching limbs, then balled a fist, and punched her father in the jaw with all the eleven year old might she could muster. Before collapsing into a pile of sobbing mass, shrieking,

"TAKE ME BACK TO MY BROTHER _**RIGHT NOW**_!"

* * *

_**'Sup y'all. **_

_**Sorry for the delay. Since the last update, I've been sick twice, school camp, weekend camp, Downton feels, Whovian feels, dude feels, escorted fifty ten year olds around the city for their camp, exams, tests AND **_**_laziness. _**

**_Thank you so much for the follow and review. You made me very happy :')_**

**_Please review Xx_**


	5. Chapter 5

**2006**

Her heart was thudding in her chest, as she tottered up the stairs, her arms full of the latest deemed-useless-and-to-be-filed artefacts. The man had _smiled_ at her. Smiled! Twenty minutes ago, but her heart hadn't stopped its trampoline-gymnastics act since. She reached the door, and fumbled around on the wall for the entry code keypad, but with a hiss, she remembered it was locked, precariously shifting the weight of the objects from one arm to the other, she groped about on her wrist with the key-band for the key. Her wrist was starting to ache from being bent back double, and her other arm was shaking with the strain. She was concentrating so hard, that she didn't notice the dark skinned woman clattering down the stairs above, until she brushed past Adelle, her elbow bumping the red-head's, and sent Adelle tumbling down three flights of marble stairs.

**DWTWDWTW**

"Um, Adelle Harman please."

Rory flinched as she heard his 'sister' shriek angrily from one of the wards.

"... .FINE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" He sighed heavily.

"Never mind... I'll follow the shouting." He hurried to the room where he could hear the yelling coming from, and suddenly, a very shell-shocked looking nurse stumbled out of the room. Rory flashed her an apologetic smile, before pulling on a face of complete calmness, and pushing the door open.

"Adelle!" he cried in terrified delight. "How are you doing?" The room was entirely white, except for Adelle's splash of vivid hair.

"I'm fine! They're just over re-acting! I'm exactly the same as I was _before_ that cow pushed me down the stairs!" There was an awkward silence, where Adelle fumed, and he timidly hunched his shoulders, before scuttling over to a chair by her bedside. After a few more moments of near un-bearable silence, Rory spoke.

"They can hear you shouting from the reception." And they both burst into a fit of giggles. Awkward silence breached. Phase one complete. Phase two commences. "So... what did...How did... _Down three flights of stairs_?!" He trailed in and out, waiting for the explosion.

"She pushed me down the stairs! For no good reason! Just because her boyfriend smiled at me? Can you believe that bitch? How petty! Fair those stairs are a safety hazard, but none the less, oooh, Adeolla called in the other day, and apparently Yvonne went _absolutely ballistic_! I cannot wait to see Lisa _bloody Hartlett_ on Tuesday!" Phase two, information. Now he had to re-develop what had happened.

"So... a bloke smiled at you, but his girlfriend hated it, so she pushed you down the stairs, then Yvonne... you boss? Ok, so Yvonne got mad at the woman- Lisa, and you're going back on Tuesday, and you can't wait to see what has happened. Right?" She nodded in approval. His father was right, that system _did_ work!

"So all that happened yesterday?" he asked dis-believingly. "But you've not got any broken bones, or concussion, just a bit of bruising! But yet, you fell down _three flights of stairs_!"

"Yes darling," came an American drawl from the doorway, making both of them jump and whip around. "How _did_ that happen?"

"Dad! Owen! Donna!" Adelle cried in delight, holding her arms out for a hug. Rory stood up, and bent down for a hug of his own.

"I'd better go sis... I'll call in later then. Bye Jack, Donna, Owen!" He hurried out of the room before jack could interrogate him about looking after his daughter.

**DWTWDWTW**

"Well, as I was falling, I knocked her handbag out of her hand, and that... softened the blow, considering how big that bag is. I reckon I smashed up her phone and iPod pretty good!" Jack laughed his booming laugh, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"That's my girl then hah!"

"Oi! She's my girl too!" Donna scolded, kicking Jack gently in the shins.

"Ooooh! Daddy and Auntie Donna are arguing, and came in together, Ooooh!" This set Jack and Donna to blushing, and her and Owen into giggles, as he sneakily un-packed a small black bag. "Daddy," Adelle began again in a sweet and sickly innocent voice, "Is Auntie Donna going to be my new Mummy?" Donna shuddered at the thought.

"Don't you dare compare me that that madwoman!" She cried indignantly.

"Well, technically I wasn't I was just- OWEN WILL YOU STOP BLEEPING ME?!" she cried, and swatted Owen's sonic-scanner device away.

"But I just want to make sure that Jack's little princess is safe!" he replied in a sickly sweet voice.

**DWTWDWTW**

Dad, Donna and Owen had left ten minutes ago, and Adelle was sinking into her day-dream induced state, when the door opened.

"Adelle?" Asked the beautiful Welsh accent of her dreams, and she whipped her head around, to see the amazing looking man standing in the doorway.

"Oh hello Ianto!" She cried, acting pleasantly surprised, while watching him stride up to her bedside, and pass her a vase of white and pink geraniums. "Oh my, they're lovely!" She cried. "Thank you!" She smiled up and him. He seemed glummer and more closed up than usual today...

"I just came to give you those, and say sorry for my gir- For Lisa's behaviour." His mouth snapped together tightly.

"Uh-oh." She mumbled, patting the chair beside her bed. "Lover's spat. Ya gonna spill?" she asked kindly as he settled down next to her. He sighed deeply, then looked at her again. _'Lovely eyes'_ she thought to herself.

"Oh why not..." he muttered. Inspecting his knees, then slumped back into the chair. "She's a total cow! She knocked you down the stairs because you _smiled_ at me! She fractured your ribs because I smiled back! Every time a woman tries to talk to me, she jumps in and chases them away! I haven't had an ordinary pleasant conversation with a woman who's not my sister for _four months_! I feel like I'm in one of those post apocalyptic worlds, where the women are extinct!" She laughed at this.

'_Funny, nice eyes, nice voice, GREAT bum, has taste... in clothes anyway. Check's all boxes so far.' _She thought to herself again. She kicked herself out of those thoughts with a disapproving mental tut and head shake, before gently placing a hand on his knee.

"I'm sure you'll work things out. Maybe when you're married with kids, you'll be able to talk to a woman." He in took a breath so quickly she thought his head might burst. "You're hiding something!" she admonished sternly. "It's better to talk then keep it tied to your chest with chains, so talk."

"Yes ma'am..." she grinned at him, before placing a hand on his knee once more, and giving it a small encouraging rub.

"Our... our phones are the same make, yeah." he started. She nodded, unsure where this was going. "Well, the other day, she got a text, so I answered it thinking it was mine, and I read it, and it didn't seem right, but then I read a phew more by that sender and..." he buried his head in his hands, and her heart went out to him. (More than it already had)She reached out gingerly to him, and pulled him into a much needed hug. After a moment, he had composed himself, he lifted his head and continued his story.

"They were all about... sex... and... Kenny the coffee guy down on fourth!" he blurted out, then rested his head in his hands. There was a silence filled with a thousand angry curses and tantrums and tears being held back. She broke that silence.

"Break it off." The words echoed around the room, and immediately she regretted it.

"What?" he asked, distractedly, but with a tiny glimmer of... hope?

"You're a lovely man, you can do so much better, and you don't deserve that! Take it from me, my life is messed up enough, don't waste your time loving people, who aren't going to love you the same way!" The tension could be cut with a knife. Ianto had bowed his head, and she couldn't see his face. Then he raised it, and it was full of rage.

"How dare you!" He shouted, leaping up. "You have no right to say things like that! Why? Why did I even talk to you?! It's my life, and my business, so just back off alright!" And he stormed out of the room, the door banging behind him, leaving Adelle no chance to say anything, and completely and utterly heartbroken.

* * *

_**Watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince... *le sob*  
But GOD, Bellatrix's hair is AH-MAY-ZING!**_

_**AAAANNNNNYYYYYYWAY. Please review and tell me what you think ;) Xx**_


End file.
